


Fairness and Embarrassment

by Fallen_Ark_Angel



Series: Remember Me [28]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-09 22:49:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4367258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallen_Ark_Angel/pseuds/Fallen_Ark_Angel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Erza finds herself buying new furniture and Mirajane embarrasses Laxus. Again. But he's pretty used to it at this point.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fairness and Embarrassment

  


For years at that point, the only other person to share a bed with Erza anymore was Jellal. And those times were rare as it was. He was off on his mission to destroy the darkness in the world as redemption while she was left behind in Magnolia, just fighting the usual day to day evil that popped up.

When he came by though, her home was his first stop, no matter what he was supposed to be doing at the time. It had been that way for years. They only got such a limited amount of time together that they both cherished it as best they could. It was the way that things would always be, as it was, so there were really very little other options for them.

That meant, though, that Erza was used to living alone for long periods of time. And even when he dropped by, it was only for a few days at most. So her life alone was more or less just a given. She thought a few times about getting a pet, but Happy adamantly vetoed that.

Dogs were out because, well, duh. Plue was the only one that was okay. And other cats were a no go because they'd just be jealous of him, because he was cool and they just weren't. Not like him. And birds, well, how could he resist eating it? Fish as well.

Plus, even if she found one that he wasn't dissident of, well, what if she went on a job? Who would feed it? Sure, the others had children that she could no doubt pawn it off on, like Natsu's daughter Navi or Levy's son Locke, but then what was the point of the pet in the first place?

No, she decided many times over the years. A pet would just not do. It wasn't necessary or helpful in any way to her.

So how, then, did Erza end up with two little boys living in her home that she was not of blood to in any way and that were, at one point in time (possibly currently for one) content with slaughtering her?

It was a long story. And not a particularly fun one to think about it.

It was, however, where her mind went when she opened her eyes at, oh, two a.m. to find one of the boys standing there, in her bedroom, just staring at her.

"Erza?" the child whispered softly. "Are you awake?"

"Mmmm."

"Oh." He giggled then. "I sorta kinda got scared and Ravan was real mean about it and I can't go back to sleep and I… I don't want the monster to get me!"

"Kai," she groaned tiredly. "What do you want me to do?"

"Can I sleep in bed with you?"

That made her lift her head some. "Huh? What are you-"

"I'm scared."

"Kai, what monster?" She laid her head back down. "I'm one of the top wizards of a guild that is, according to many, at the top of all other guilds. So, trust me, there's no-"

He started whining then and it was just so annoying and…well. What would it hurt?

"Get up here."

He clambered up onto the bed, crawling over her (much to Erza's annoyance) to get to the other side of the bed. You know, rather than just walking around to that side of the bed and getting in. Because Kai was an individual.

Sigh.

"Erza?"

"Go to sleep, Kai," she mumbled as he cuddled up under the blankets, staring over at her. "Please?"

"But I can't."

"Why couldn't you just wake up your brother? And let him-"

"I did," he told her with a frown. "But he was mean. And called me a baby. I'm not a baby! But…I just…I had a dream about when the monster came up and ate our village."

"You are not a baby," she told him with a sigh. Erza herself could remember at times waking up in a cold sweat, remembering the trials of her youth. "But you are being foolish."

"Huh?"

"For one, it didn't eat the village."

"It ate some of the village."

"Kai."

Whining, he said, "I just can't stop thinking about it. That's all."

"And it makes you feel better then? To be here with me?"

"Of course," he said. "You're the best mage ever. And you did kill the monster. 'member?"

Instead of saying anything, Erza just stared over at him for a moment before reaching a hand out to lay it on his head.

"Sleep now," she told him with a slight grin. "And in the morning I will speak with Ravan, alright?"

When he nodded, she patted his head before dropping her arm down onto the bed between them, shutting her eyes once more.

Great. So he was safer, being that he was sleeping so close to Erza, but safe in general? Not quite. There could be anything hiding in the shadows of her room.

Anything.

Kai just hunkered down there under the blankets, resisting to snuggling up to the woman, as he figured that would be over stepping a boundary or something. Erza was being kind enough, after all, letting him sleep in bed with her. She didn't seem too comfortable with it, after all.

It had to have taken another twenty minutes, at least, for his tired body to finally conk back out, letting him drift off into sleep. When he awoke once more, he found that some amount of hours had passed as there was light streaming through the blinds then and, surprisingly enough, there was someone standing at the end of the bed, watching him, just like he'd done to Erza earlier.

"What," his big brother Ravan said slowly, "are you doing sleeping in Erza's bed?"

Yawning slightly, Kai sat up in bed and glanced around. The woman was nowhere to be found.

"Because you're mean," he said as he stretched some. "And Erza said that she's going to get onto you about it."

"Erza can't do nothin' to me. And get up. You shouldn't have gone and bothered her. You big baby."

"Erza said that I'm not a baby."

"Erza said, Erza said, Erza said. Can't you ever say anything for yourself?"

"Yes!" he grumbled as he finally got out of bed. "I just… Where is Erza anyhow?"

"I dunno," Ravan said, turning to walk off. "She was gone when I got up."

"Well…can you make me breakfast?"

"I don't make breakfast for babies."

"Ravan, that's not fair!"

"Is too. You should be able to make your own breakfast by now."

"You know that I'm no good at cookin' anything, but fish."

"You're not even good at that."

"Am too! I'm a fisherman and you know it! Stop saying I'm not!"

"I didn't say you couldn't catch fish," the older boy grumbled as they walked out of the room and down the hall. "Although, you can't do that either."

"Stop it! You big…jerk! Just make me something to eat."

"No." Ravan didn't even go into the kitchen. Just went to stretch out on the couch. He hadn't even dressed for the day, actually, as he was still in a pair of shorts and nothing else. "You big baby."

"Stop calling me that."

"Or what? You'll tell Erza? Huh? Big baby?"

"Stop it!"

With a sneer, Ravan finally just reached into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out a few jewels. "Here, you big baby. Go buy breakfast somewhere. With my money, that I earned and you didn't. Because you're a baby."

He wanted to be upset, Kai did, but what could he do? The other boy was giving him jewels, after all.

Holding down his sniffles, the younger child went to go take the jewels before rushing off to the bathroom to get ready to go out. Erza had grumbled at them more than once that they had horrible hygiene habits (considering for the months leading up to them living together it had just been the two of them raising one another, that wasn't shocking) and he figured if he ran into her at the hall, it would be for the best if he'd at least had a shower. Especially if she was in a bad mood (sometimes she was in very bad ones).

After a quick shower and sorta brushing his teeth (he always tried, but never rightly liked the taste of toothpaste, no matter how much Erza insisted he get over it), Kai set out for the day. Ravan had gotten a comic book and was busy reading it on the couch when he passed him, not even glancing at the boy. That was fine though. Kai knew the way to the guildhall.

Sorta.

He was on the right track, anyhow, when he ran into one of Erza's friends. Wendy. She was super nice! And she didn't even mind showing him the way.

"Have you seen Erza?" he asked her as they walked down the street together, towards the guildhall.

"Nope," she said with a shake of her head. "Not today, anyhow. Yesterday, but I'm sure you've seen her since then, huh?"

"Last night."

"Then see? You already have me beat."

Giggling, he stared up at her. "Where's your cat? Is she not with you?"

"Carla?" Wendy shook her head. "She's already at the guild. I got a rather late start this morning, I guess."

"Me too," he assured the woman. "That's how come I missed Erza gettin' up. I wonder where she went. She usually would be home from trainin' by now. It feels real late."

"Maybe she's just up at the guild."

"I hope so. I even showered for her." He held up his arms. "Can you smell?"

"No," the slayer giggled. "I can't."

"Oh." He dropped his arms in defeat. "Well, I guess that's the point, huh?"

"I guess it is."

At the hall, Wendy met up with Carla and Kai immediately keyed in on his best friend in the guild, Marin. She was up at the bar, sipping on a juice while watching her mother work.

"Erza?" the girl's mother, Mirajane, repeated slowly. After greeting Marin, he'd asked of the woman's whereabouts. "I don't think I've seen her today, no."

"Oh," he sighed, bowing his head. "Well, can you get me some breakfast then? Here. Ravan gave me money. But…I'm not too good at figuring out how to count it-"

"Here," Marin giggled, taking the bills from him. "I'll help."

It was after she'd gotten the boy his food as well as served a few other people that Mira got a message.

"For me?" she asked as her oldest daughter came up to the bar to hand it off to her.

"It was at the house when I got up," Haven told her simply with a shrug. "Were you expecting something?"

Mira shook her head no before moving to glance at the seal. Seeing the lightning emblem that magically sealed it, she giggled.

"It's from your father," she told them both, Haven losing her apathetic attitude as she stared in interest then at the letter in her mother's hand. "He's so silly. He's only been gone for two days."

Still, she hurriedly moved to trace the seal with her finger, breaking it before a hologram appeared of the guild's master. Never having seen a magic letter before, Kai sat to attention at that.

"Cool," he whispered as Marin nodded.

"Hey, demon," the hologram of Laxus relayed then as Mira only grinned. "You takin' care of things for me? Huh? Well, anyhow, I wanted you to know I made it to this stupid meetin'. All these old men though are lucky I don't just strike this damn place down. Why do I gotta meet with other guild masters any how?"

"Master talks a lot," Kai mumbled to Marin who nodded.

"Daddy's real important."

"That's no excuse."

"At least he thinks he is, anyways," Haven grumbled. "Isn't he going to say anything important?"

"-back soon. Conference is only supposed to last two days. But you already know that, huh?" the image was going on as Mira just grinned at it. "I gotta go now. I'm still a little motion sick, I think."

"Aw." Mirajane frowned some then. "Poor dragon."

"Ugh." Haven finally turned to walk off. "He did just send it for no reason."

"Not no reason, Haven," Mira sighed as, after that, Laxus told her that he loved her and to keep taking care of the guild before the message was over. "Just so I could know he was alright."

"Gross," she grumbled.

"Grosser."

She only glared at her Uncle Bickslow though as he approached, the seith sticking out his tongue in response.

"Bickslow!" Mirajane was much happier to see him. "You're back from your job."

"That's right," he said as he took a seat at the bar. "I take it Lissy ain't workin' this morning?"

"Nope," the woman's sister said with a shake of her head. "I'm sure that Lisanna's at home with Ajax."

Nodding, he said, "I'll just have a drink then. Before I head back there."

"This early?"

"Yes, nosey," he said, giving his sister-in-law a look. Mira only grinned though. "This early."

As she went to work on that, he called out to her, "That was a letter from boss, I take it?"

"Laxus? Mmmhmm. He's at a conference."

"What? Without me? Or Freed? Or Ever? He's crazy. He needs protection!"

"I really don't think he would agree," she said, coming to set the mug in front of him.

Slouching forwards then as he picked the mug up, the man took a glance to his side, nodding first his niece and then the boy next to her.

"Oy, Marin," he said with a slight grin. "You take a habit of stalking me?"

"You sat next to me," she complained.

"Not the way I remember it," he snickered. "And hey, kid, what are you looking at?"

That was directed at Kai who had been staring at the man. He knew it was a long shot, but decided to try anyways.

"Have you seen Erza?" he asked. "Mr. Bickslow?"

"Have I seen- Are you kidding? Erza? The Erza?"

"Bickslow," Mira warned.

Losing his excitement then (he was hoping to get the kid wound up some, but apparently Mrs. Boss was gonna put a stop to it), he said, "Yeah, I saw her."

"Really?" Kai perked up then. "Where?"

"At the train station," he said with a slight shrug. "When I was comin' in. Didn't talk to her or nothin', but I did see her there. Maybe she's meeting someone? Or goin' somewhere? Who knows? It's Erza. Maybe she'll go kill a gigantic monster. Maybe she'll do absolutely nothing. Somewhere in between that lies the truth, kid. And I have no idea what it is."

"He talks a lot to," Kai whispered to Marin.

She nodded. "He's not as important as Daddy."

"I can hear you," her uncle grumbled, to which both kids giggled.

Mira only hummed as she sat her letter down on the bar. "Laxus is so sweet. I bet he'll come back with something for me. He wanted to take me, you know."

"Why would I know that?"

"Maybe he'll bring me flowers." Mira was feeling rather in love with the slayer that day, it seemed. And all it took was an unneeded, waste of jewels letter. "Or ooh, Marin, you think he'll finally cave and let us get a puppy?"

"You think so?" the little girl asked, eyes wide.

"Maybe."

"Why do you sound as excited by the thought as the kid?" Bickslow asked the woman who only giggled.

"I used to have a dog," Mira said softly. "A long time ago. Sort of. And now I want another, but Laxus isn't very cooperative."

"Something tells me the boss ain't coming back with no dog. If he ain't caved now, he ain't cavin' ever."

"Oh yeah? Then what did he send me the letter for?"

Bickslow was busy picking at the underside of his nails as he said, "Probably out cheatin' or somethin' and feels b- And I said the wrong thing. Lissy's gonna kill me."

"W-What?"

"Mira, I's just jok-"

"Is Laxus-"

"No! The boss he…and…I'm dead. I'm just dead. This is what happens to guys like me. You make one too many jokes and then you die. At the hands of your idol. Or wife. Dead."

"Why would you say that then?"

"I just-"

"I think we better go," Kai mumbled to Marin as he jumped down, finished with his breakfast anyhow. "I think they're gonna fight."

No. Marin was pretty sure her mother was going to start crying (she did that a lot as her emotions either ranged from extremely happy, extremely upset, or extremely sad) and her Uncle Bickslow appeared to be on one of his highs too (which fell between depressed and moody or happy and obnoxious). Really, when you thought about it, Mirajane and Bickslow were the last two people that needed to spend time with one another.

And that was proving itself true once more as the demon burst into tears and Freed, who was in the bar as well, came over to berate the seith about it and fret over what Laxus would do when he found out.

All in all, the Master would have a lot to deal with when he got back.

But that wasn't a problem for Kai and Marin to solve. Nope. They had more important things to deal with.

Like finding out where Erza went.

"Why does it matter?" Marin asked Kai when he told her of their mission for the day. "Surely she'll be back tonight."

"Why are you so sure? What if she took a job without tellin' me? Or taking me?"

"Then there's nothing you can do, huh? And besides," she said, gesturing over to where her uncle was still very much so trying in vain to get her mother to calm down as well as explain his joke. "If Erza had taken a job, she would have gone through my mom, since my dad's out and there's no one else working. She must've gone to the train station for some other reason."

"Like what?"

"I dunno. Maybe she had somewhere to go."

"She didn't tell me she had somewhere to go."

"Does she have to?"

"Uh, yeah." Kai gave her a look. "So I can decide if I wanna go or not. She can't just decide for me."

"Maybe she didn't want you to go."

"Why wouldn't she? I'm a great person to take on a train."

Marin, who over the past few months had been on the train with the boy a handful of times, had her doubts. When he saw the look she was giving him, he just frowned.

"I've gotten better."

"I didn't say anything."

Her eyes said it all.

Okay, so he got excited. And pointed at things. And would run around. Did that make him a bad person? Huh? He was better than Navi's dad, who would barf on a train. So there.

"Well, you wanna come with me?" he asked her then as they walked out the guildhall doors. "To the train station?"

"What are you gonna do there? I'm sure she's gone."

"But what if she's not?"

"Well," she said slowly, "you know I can't go. I'm not allowed to leave the guild without- Uncle Elf!"

At the moment, the man was walking through the gates and, with a grin, Marin turned to rush over to him. Following, Kai had one request in mind.

"Hi, Marin!" The muscular man came to pick the child up, lifting her into the air before he crushed her with one of his massive hugs. "I haven't seen you since-"

"Yesterday," she giggled as he dropped her on the ground. "Elf."

"Hi, Elfman." Kai grinned as the man patted him on the head. If there was anyone in the guild that he liked, it was that guy. That man. He was the best man around. Other than, like, Erza. She was pretty dang manly in her own right. "Can you take us to the train station?"

"Running away, I see? Well, just let me run it by Ever and I'll come too!"

"Uncle Elf," the girl giggled.

"If you ran away, you wouldn't tell anybody," Kai pointed out. "Elfman."

"When you're dating Evergreen you do." He didn't sound so jolly then as he looked at the ground. "Although, running away's not manly, kids."

"We're not men," Marin told him. "Least I'm not."

"I'm only half a man, really," Kai said with a shrug. "So I can cut out any old time I wanna."

"You did once," Marin agreed.

"Yeah. Shadebay was nice, but not Magnolia nice! You guys got bathrooms in, like, nearly every buildin'."

Elfman was still scratching at his head. "Although I suppose it is kind of manly. I mean, you're leaving your responsibilities, which ain't, but you are venturing off into the unknown which is. But at the same time-"

"So can you take us there?" Kai was tired of waiting. "Elfman? Marin has to go with a grownup and I…I think I know where it is, but...and Ravan said if I get lost again he won't let me go on 'ventures all by myself anymore."

"Well you can't have that. Not being able to go out by yourself."

"I know!"

The man nodded then. "I have no choice, but to take you, right?"

"Right!"

"Uh, Marin? Let me just check in with Mira first and-"

"No, Elf." She reached up to grab his hand and tug him back towards the gate. "That's not a good idea."

"How come?"

"Mr. Bickslow made her cry," Ka said as he rushed to grab Marin's other hand. It was the best way to keep from getting lost, he'd found. Sometimes, if they were somewhere real confusing (like every place other than Magnolia) then he'd even hold Erza's hand. Only then though. And if she wasn't busy crossing her arms and looking tough.

"Been there," Elfman sighed sympathetically. "Well, if we're not running away-"

"We're not. Daddy might even be getting me a puppy."

"And I can't leave my garden."

"-then where are we going?" Elfman asked. "Kids?"

"We're not leaving on a train, Elf," his niece told him as she was able to stop dragging him (he was giving a hell of a lot of leeway anyhow), and just walk along next to him. "We're just gonna go find Erza."

"Oh. Well, I've seen Erza."

"You have?" Kai stared up at him. "When? After Mr. Bickslow saw her at the train station?"

"How should I know what he's seen? Huh?"

"Well, he saw her at the train station earlier," the boy told him. "Did you see her around there?"

"No. I'd say I saw her going in the totally opposite direction though."

"Really?" Marin asked. "Where was she going?"

"I have no clue," the man said with a shake of his head. "But I know she was carrying something. Like a box. And I asked if she needed help and she told me no. Then I told her she was a real man, toting that big thing around and she told me-"

"Uncle Elf."

"Sorry," he sighed. "The point is that I have no idea where she could have gone after that."

"Oh." Kai hung his head for a moment before saying, "But that must mean that she already came from the station? Huh? She probably picked up the package there and that means that she'd take it home? Right?"

"I suppose so," Elfman said slowly. "Or she might be delivering it somewhere."

More groans. "I'm never gonna find her."

"Why do you wanna find her so bad though?" Marin asked him. "I mean, you just didn't want her to leave. Now you know that she hasn't. Isn't that all you were worried about, really?"

"I guess." He kicked at the ground. "I just thought that Erza and I could hangout today. That's all. Now we don't got nothin' good to do."

"That's not true," Elfman told him. "You got me and Marin to play with."

"Uncle Elf," the girl giggled. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Well, actually, I was gonna just sit up at the hall and drink all day since Ever kicked me out of the apartment for knocking over the coffee table, but-"

"Why'd ya do that?" Kai asked.

"I didn't mean to! The apartment's just so small, you know?"

"For someone as big as you," the boy agreed. "She should understand."

"You'd think," he sighed. "Sometimes she does. Other times I think she just wants me as far away from her as possible."

"Maybe you should run away then," Kai offered. "Since she doesn't care about you."

"I didn't say that she didn't care about me. Just-"

"She doesn't care." The boy shook his head. "Get over it already."

"Kai," Marin complained, frowning at him. "Don't hurt Elf's feelin's."

"I'm not trying to!"

Elfman just sighed. "I don't think I can run from Ever. She'd just find me one way or another. And I doubt she'd be too happy when she did."

"I love Aunt Ever," Marin told him then, feeling the need to stick up for the woman. She honestly did. Evergreen loved her the most too, out of her and Haven. They were super close. "Elf."

"Well, I know. I do too. But men don't put up with being kicked out of the house!"

"You could always just not," Kai said then.

"Not what?"

"Not leave when she kicks you out," he reasoned. "Tell her that you're a man!"

"I do tell her that. A lot. I don't think she likes it much either."

"Oh."

"Well," Marin said then as they continued on down the road. "Since we're out anyhow, Uncle Elf, you wanna buy us ice cream?"

"Do I want to?"

"Well, can you?" Kai knew that game. "Elfman?"

"I suppose men do like ice cream."

"So do girls."

"And half men! They really like it."

So, after an ice cream stop, Elfman took the two of them back to the guildhall. There still wasn't much for them to do since he was too chicken to go confront Evergreen, but Kai was hoping that maybe Erza had popped back into the guildhall.

She hadn't.

But someone else had.

"Hi, Aunt Lissy," Marin greeted the woman when they found her seated at one of the tables in the hall. At that moment, she was actually scolding her husband, the seith taking to hunching over and seeming very remorseful. "And Bickslow."

"Oy, kid, you-"

"No." Lisanna gave him a look. "Shut up."

"Lissy-"

"Your uncle's not allowed to talk to anyone," Lisanna told Marin as the little girl just nodded. "He was bad."

"Real men talk whenever they want," Elfman grumbled as he took a seat with them. With Mira working and Ever not around, they were his best hope for something to do. "They don't let women tell them when they can and can't."

Kai only frowned at him. "I thought you said that you let Ever kick you out of the apartment?"

"Men don't tell on other men either, Kai!"

Bickslow just laid his head down on the table. "You make one joke-"

"No talking."

"Lissy, you know that the boss ain't cheating on-"

"And you know that my sister's crazy."

Well, that was a given.

"Come on, Marin," Kai said with a sigh as he walked away. "There has to be something here to do."

"You could always try working on your magic," Lisanna suggested to the both of them.

Heh.

They spent some time downstairs, watching some guys shoot pool before going to the actual one, though neither felt much up for swimming themselves. Just watched the others. All in all, it was turning out to be a pretty boring day. Then again, they had gotten ice cream before, so no matter what, it was chalking up to a win either way.

"How come you like Erza so much?" Marin asked at one point as they laid on their stomachs by the pool, staring down into the water. "Kai?'

"I dunno. How could you not like her?"

"Everyone does," she agreed. "But they're also a little afraid of her. Not you though."

"Of course not. Erza's my best friend."

Glancing at him, she said, "I thought I was your best friend?"

"Mmmm…it's complicated."

"Oh."

"Erza's like my Elfman."

"She's your uncle?"

"No," he giggled. "She's like how you like Elfman so much. He's one of your best friends, huh?"

"I guess so."

"But I'm your real one."

"Then I'm your real one?" she asked. "Kai?"

"I guess so. But Ravan's really up there too! Except for when he's mean. Like last night." The boy frowned then. "I'm not a baby."

"You're not."

"He just picks on me for no reason. And it ain't fair."

"Haven does that to me too," she told him softly.

That made him snicker. "He's not that bad. Not Haven bad."

"She's not  _that_  bad though."

"Yes, she is."

"No." Marin even shook her head. "She does tons of good stuff for me."

"Like what? Not picking on you one day?"

"Stop it."

"Haven's evil. Ravan's just mean. There's a difference."

"Haven gave me the only thing she's ever wanted," the little girl told him then. "Her lacrima. Ravan's nice, but he hasn't done anything like that for you."

Kai just sat there though for a moment, thinking, before saying, "And Ravan stayed here, when he didn't want to, because I did. That's big too."

"It's not the same."

"Yes, it is."

"No. He wanted to stay too. Where else would he have gone?"

"Back home or somewhere or… Shut up!"

"No. You always say mean stuff about Haven-"

"Because you tell me the mean things she does! And she's mean to me too, every time I see her and-"

"She's my sister."

"So? She's a bad one."

"No!"

"Yes, she is."

"No. Shut up."

"You shut up! Stupid."

And though they'd been friends for numerous months at that point, never before had they disagreed so heavily. Both of them were so agreeable after all (having an overbearing sibling could do that to a kid). Even when they didn't see eye to eye on something, harsh words were rarely exchanged. Kai saw Marin as someone to look after, she was just so simple, and, well, she was just glad to have him. She'd never had a friend all to herself before. It was great.

Usually.

At the moment though, both were glaring at one another, pushing up to do so. Kai wasn't even sure what they were fighting about exactly. Or why. Haven was mean. They said that enough.

But that was the problem. He was always saying bad things about Haven and it wasn't fair. Even though she didn't always like her sister, Marin did love her. She was her sister! And he felt the same about Ravan.

Kai only frowned as Marin jumped up. "What are you doing?"

But she didn't answer him. Only ran off. She looked like she was about to start crying.

"Here you are."

About the same time that she ran off, Erza appeared out in the pool area, walking right over to him.

"I've been looking for you," she said as he slowly pushed up to stare at her. "Kai."

Blinking, he said slowly, "I's lookin' for you too."

"Were you? Hmmm." Erza just took to crossing her arms. "Up you go then. Come on."

"What?"

"We must get home to your brother."

"How come?"

"There is something that I wish to discuss with the both of you."

"Really?" That got him up. "Does it have to do with what you got at the train station?"

"Hmmm?"

"Mr. Elfman said-"

"Oh. Yes. That." Then, suddenly, the woman held out her hand and, not a moment later, a decorative sword was summed into it. "I sent out for this and it was delivered there. I just had to pick it up."

"Wow!" Kai stared up at it in wonder. "What-"

"It is not for me," she said.

"Then who?"

"It's a present for your brother," she said as she sent it back into her reequip space. "For all the hard work he has put in recently in mastering-"

"That's not fair!" The little boy glared then. "What do I get?"

"I buy you seeds and such for your magic all the time. Not to mention I built you a garden-"

"Yeah, but that's not as cool as a sword."

Still, Erza turned to walk off. "Come then. The day is still young and there is much that we can still do with it."

He had no choice, but to follow her really. What else was he going to do? Now that he and Marin were…

"Hey, Erza?"

"Hmmm?"

They were out on the streets when he spoke up and, not looking up at her, he kicked at the ground.

"I did somethin' bad."

"Kai, if you have done damage to something in my house again-"

"No," he told her with a shake of his head. "Nothing like that."

"Then what?"

"I made Marin cry." Glancing up at the woman, he said, "But I didn't mean to!"

"Oh." That? Erza could deal with that. "Just apologize."

"That's all?"

Nodding, she said, "What else could there be to it?"

"I dunno. I called her stupid," he said slowly. "And it's not like how when I call Ravan stupid. I don't think girls get over it as fast."

"I'm sure that you two will be over your fight before tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" He glared up at her. "I can't wait till then! That's so far away."

"We have other things to deal with as it is," she told him. "But perhaps we can eat dinner at the guildhall and you will be able to apologize then."

"Maybe," he sighed, defeated still, but at least somewhat hopeful.

When they got to the house, Ravan was still in the living room, never having gotten dressed that day and hanging upside down from the couch as he stared at a movie lacrima placed on the coffee table, enraptured by some sort of violent movie it was playing. At his appearance, Erza frowned.

"You boys just think that you can lay around all day and do nothing, don't you?"

"Shhh," he shushed. "I'm watchin' somethin'. I- Hey!"

Erza only came to knock him off the couch rather roughly before turning off the movie lacrima. Kai had to work hard not to giggle.

"Look at you," she complained, gesturing to him. "Have you ever showered today?"

"I did!" Kai rushed over to the woman. "Smell me."

Ravan only narrowed his eyes. "I'm taking an off day."

"There are no off days around here," Erza told him harshly. "Now go get dressed."

"No! I wanna watch my movie."

"Too bad. Now go." Looking off, she said, "If I wanted to stare at someone in their underwear all day, I would have invited over Gray."

The boy only growled before shoving up and stalking off. Kai just glanced up at Erza.

"Can I watch the movie?"

"No." Settling off as well, she went into the kitchen. "Come take a seat. I will start on lunch."

Well, with that sort of an incentive…

That was how Ravan found them when he returned. Kai was at the table, eating a sandwich with a plate across from him, clearly meant for the other boy. Erza was still making her own over at the counter.

"Good," Erza said when she saw him. "You're both here."

"Where else would we be?" he grumbled as he took his seat.

"I would suggest, Ravan, that you be quiet and listen. Perhaps you will enjoy the latter half of this conversation."

He had his doubts, but still just took to resting his head on the table. It was best to just get the whole thing over with.

"Now," the woman began as she turned to join them, her own plate in hand. "As you both know, the dormitory is still at capacity. I check weekly, of course."

"Of course," Ravan grumbled.

"And it has become increasingly obvious-"

"Don't kick us out." Suddenly, Kai lost his joy of food (it was immense) and dropped the sandwich in his hand. "Please, Erza. We won't be bad anymore. I won't ever ask to sleep in your bed again either."

"You shouldn't have done that to begin with," his brother grunted. "Big baby."

"I'm not a baby!"

Erza sighed. "I am not kicking you out, boys. And Ravan, sit up. I was kind enough to make you that sandwich, now eat it."

Sheesh. You let a woman teach you how to fight and suddenly she thinks that she runs your whole life.

"Then what are you doin'?" Kai asked, concerned. "Erza?"

"It has come to my attention," she told them, "that you two sharing that tiny bed is not going to work. At all." Ravan got a very pointed look at that, but it just made him roll his eyes in response. "So, I have come up with two options for you."

"What are they?" the younger boy asked as, slowly, he went to pick back up his sandwich.

"Well, the first one is that one of you sleeps on the couch."

"Not it!"

"No, fair, Ravan! You didn't say go."

"Fine. Go. Not it!"

"Stop saying it first!"

"Enough." Erza was losing her patience with them and quickly. Shaking her head, she said, "You will not be sleeping on the couch as it is now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Ravan, we will go and find a couch that pulls out into a bed," she said simply. "And one of you will sleep on that and the other can have the room."

"I'm it!"

"What? No." Kai still wasn't happy. "That's not fair."

"Is too. Go. I'm it! See, still fair." Ravan snickered. "I get the whole living room to myself and you get that dinky little bedroom-"

"Erza, he's not being fair!"

"How was that not fair?" his brother complained. "Huh?"

"Because I didn't get my way."

"If," the woman went on, "we go with that option, Ravan, it will not be so simple. At night, yes, that couch will become your bed and the living room will be yours, but the rest of the time, it is to look as it does now."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that it will not be littered with your dirty underwear and have comic books strewn across the room," she told them. "It will be kept tidy. And every morning, you will put the couch back to how it is supposed to be and-"

"Not it!"

"No fair! Stop it, Ravan!"

"Or," she sighed, knowing that there would be no victor in that situation, as it was turning out. "Considering that room is too small to fit another bed in there, I get rid of the one in there now and just get you both barracks style beds."

Kai blinked. "I don't get it."

Ravan just picked up his sandwich finally. "She means bunk beds."

"What are those?"

"It's like when there's one bed on top of another."

He tried hard to picture it, but the little boy couldn't. Not that he was going to let Ravan realize that.

"Oh."

Through a full mouth, Ravan said, "I get top bunk."

"What?" Kai still wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but considering Ravan was calling it, he figured he probably would want it to. "No fair!"

"It is fair. I'm older."

"Erza-"

"This is between the two of you," she said simply. "I take it then that you wish for those?"

Ravan nodded. "Not that I couldn't buy them if I didn't want to."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Of course."

"Although-"

"What is it?"

"I still don't see what the part of the conversation is that I'm so interested in."

"Oh? And not having to share a bed with your younger brother isn't interesting enough?" Still, Erza grinned at him before raising her hand. Just as quickly, she summed the sword. "Perhaps this will sweeten the pot."

Ravan just frowned at her. "It's not nice to brag about stuff that you've bought, Erza."

"It's not for me." She tossed it in the air before catching the blade in her hand, holding out the hilt to him. "It is a gift. You have been rather accomplished in your training recently as well as your jobs. I think that you more than deserve-"

"You mean it's mine?" Not even thinking then of the fact that he frequently claimed to hate Erza as well as had a deep distaste to having things handed to him, the boy snatched the sword immediately, leaving his lunch behind. "Really?"

Nodding, she said, "Do not use it on the Dreyar girl though. Or Gajeel's son, else I will take it away."

He nodded himself then before running off and to the backdoor. "Come on, Kai!"

No way. The little boy only reached across the table to grab his brother's plate and pull it over. When Erza gave him a look, he only giggled.

"Which would you rather have?"

"Hmmm?"

He just kept staring at her. "The top bunk or the bottom one?"

"The bottom, surely," she told him with a nod.

"How come?"

"If you ever sleepwalk and you have to the top one," she told him with a grin, "you will have quite the fall to awaken you."

Giggling, Kai told her, "I'm sorry that I woke you up last night, Erza."

"There is nothing to be sorry for," she told him. "I am here if you need me. At any time."

That sat between them for a moment before he said softly, "I really miss my home and my parents."

"I know, Kai."

"But," he went on slowly, glancing up at her, "I'm really happy that I get to stay here with you too."

"As am I," she sighed, smiling at him then. "More than you know."

Erza eventually went out back, to train with Ravan and, following, Kai headed over to his garden to tend to it some. It wasn't nearly as much fun without Marin though.

It was much later when they went back to the guildhall to get dinner. Well, Erza was getting dinner. Ravan was there to show off his sword. And Kai, well, he had his own personal reasons for showing up.

"Ow! Leave me alone!"

And Haven had her own reasons for jumping him the second he made it into the hall.

"Haven." Locke had come over too, rubbing at the back of his neck in concern. Even though he was Gajeel's son, watching others get hurt was never fun for him. "I dunno if you should-"

"What," she hissed as she pinned Kai face first onto the ground, pulling his hands hard behind his back, "did you do to my sister?"

"Leave me alone! Erza-"

"You must learn how to fight your own battles," the reequip mage said simply as she stepped over him before continuing on over to the bar to order something to eat from Mirajane.

Ravan, however, did not have the same sentiment. At all.

And yes, part of that might had to have done with the fact that he had a new sword to use (Erza's warnings be damned) and he wasted no time in summoning it.

"Get off," he growled as he came over to them, blade pointed towards her, "of my brother."

"No way," she said as she twisted the younger boy's arms behind his back, making him cry out. "He made Marin cry. He has to pay."

Ravan paused for a minute. "What did you do, Kai?"

"Nothing! Ravan-"

"What did you do?"

"I said that Haven was mean," Kai said through clinched teeth, eyes stinging as he tried hard not to cry. It just hurt so much! "And then I called Marin stupid. But I'm sorry! I came to apologize. Ravan, don't let her eat me!"

"Eat you?" Haven twisted his arms further, even shocking him a little. "You stupid-"

"He said sorry," Locke complained. "Haven, this isn't right. He's younger than us. Just let him go."

His older brother was still just staring down at him though. "Why did you call her stupid?"

"Ravan-"

"Why?"

"Because she was sayin' that Haven's not mean and that I shouldn't say that and- Ow!"

Haven shocked him again. "You stupid little-"

"Leave him alone, Haven!"

And then, suddenly, surprising the other kids, Marin came rushing over from where she'd been up at the bar with her mother and shot a blast of water at her sister. Only Marin had never used her Dragon Slayer magic for anything, really, other than watering Kai's garden and hadn't really gotten down yet how much is too much. And the water she shot out was  _way_ much.

"Marin," Locke and Ravan both complained as they were drenched too. Luckily she'd avoided getting any of the surrounding tables or else she might have really been in trouble. Haven though had been washed away, more from being startled than by her sister's power. And poor Kai didn't fair much better, though it did get the other girl off him.

"What is your problem?" Haven growled as she realized what had happened, getting to her feet to glare at her younger sister. "I was doing that for you, idiot!"

"I didn't ask you too." Marin just rushed over to Kai, dropping to her knees to check on him. "He said sorry and you kept hurting him. That's not nice, Haven."

"I'm going to kill you," she growled, holding out her hands then to shock the other girl. "Both of you. You stupid-"

"Leave them alone, Haven." Locke, now pissed that he was all soaked due to the girl's stupid anger problems (he found her more to blame than Marin, honestly), shoved the blonde girl. "Thanks a lot."

"That wasn't my fault, you idiot." And then the attention was completely off them and onto the other kid. "She's the one that got you wet. Not me."

"If you weren't such a bully-"

"I'm not a bully! And I'm wet too."

"Good. You deserve it!"

Ravan though only frowned down at his younger brother and Marin.

"Are you guys alright?" he asked. Kai had sat up some while Marin just hugged his neck tightly. When they both nodded, he said, "You really need to learn how to aim, Marin, if you're gonna do stuff like that. Either that or warn someone."

"Sorry," she said as Kai, who had been ready to cry before, then just giggled, hugging her back.

"You saved me," he told her with a grin. "And you beat Haven!"

That alone brought the older child's focus back onto them.

"What," she growled, glaring over at them, "did you just say?"

"You're talking to me," Locke complained. "Not them. Just-"

"You didn't beat anything, you stupid little brats," Haven hissed as she stalked over to glare down at them. "And don't for one second think that you did. I can fry both of you right now if I-"

Holding out his sword then, Ravan held his blade directly even with her neck. "Leave them alone. She beat you. It's over. Don't be a sore loser."

Marin though only bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Haven. I just wanted you to let Kai go. That's all."

"Yeah, well-"

"Ravan! What did I say about that sword?"

"And Haven, are you picking on the other kids again?"

Suddenly, the game was over as Erza and Mirajane were both staring down at the children, neither woman looking happy with their respective children.

"I was just…Erza, that's not a fair rule!"

"I didn't do anything. Kai's the one that made Marin cry. Not me."

"Fair," Erza remarked slowly as Ravan dropped the blade from Haven's vicinity. "Why do I feel that we've already talked about that once today?"

"Kai and Marin don't look like the ones causing problems right now," Mira said as both the children slowly got to their feet. "And look at all this water."

"I can't even make water!" Haven complained. "How are you going to blame me for that?"

"I think," Erza said slowly, "that if you wish to keep your new weapon, Ravan-"

"I do!"

"-then perhaps you can use this water to your advantage and mop the floor, hmm?"

"What? That's not-"

"We have two mops," Mira remarked, nodding at Haven who just glared some more.

"I was defending Marin!"

"And now you get to mop the floor with Ravan. Have fun."

Locke only put his hands behind his head. "Told ya to leave it alone, Haven."

She only narrowed her eyes at him. "We do have three mops, you know."

Kai watched as Erza and Mirajane went off to get the kids a bucket and the mops before shaking off.

"You got me all wet," he giggled as Marin hugged him again.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." He just grinned as they rushed away from the other kids, knowing that they weren't safe with her mother and Erza not being around. "And I'm sorry I called you stupid."

"It's alright," she told him with a smile. "Haven is mean."

Glancing back at where the other girl was yelling at Locke, no doubt listing all the reasons that yes, he did need to help them (even though he would anyways, so really it was kinda silly) before shrugging slightly.

"Yeah," he said slowly. "But she must really like you, to hurt me over it."

"I didn't ask her to."

"You didn't have to."

"-were the one that let me attack him," Haven finished her long list as Locke just stared at her. "And that's all the reasons why you should help."

He only blinked. "Let you attack him? I told you not to!"

"You're missing the point."

"I don't think there is a point!"

Ravan just frowned at them though. "Could you guys not stand so close to me or something? You're getting on my nerves."

"Why don't you shut up?" Haven growled as Locke only sighed.

"I guess I have to help," he said with a shrug. "To keep you guys from fighting."

"Whatever, loser," Ravan retorted with a snort. "You just can't stand her doing something without you."

"Never mind, Haven." Locke glared at the other guy. "You can kill him if you like."

"As if I was waiting for your permission."

* * *

"-all alone here, demon," Laxus sighed as he laid on the bed in his hotel room. "Bickslow's an idiot for telling you otherwise. Don't you trust me?"

"Of course, dragon," the woman said as the two of them stared at one another through the lacrima. "He just made me upset when he said that. That's all."

"Well, it makes me upset too, that he would think that's okay," the man agreed. "I'll take care of it, alright?"

"Laxus-"

"I am. That idiot, saying stuff like that, gettin' my demon all worked up." Laxus shifted on the bed. "I'll kill him."

"Don't go that far."

"You might have to hold me back."

She giggled as he only grinned.

"You liked the message I sent then, I take it?"

"Oh, yes, Laxus. Really, I did."

"Good." The communication lacrima was resting in his lap and, without thinking much about it, he reached out to stroke it, even though he knew it was worthless. "I miss you."

"Awe."

"I do, demon," he told her. "It was so hard to sleep last night without you here."

"You're lying," she said. "You loved it."

"Did not." Maybe just a little. He had gotten the whole bed to himself, after all. "Was so cold. All I wanted to do snuggle and-"

"Awe, Laxus. You're so cute when you're lying."

He frowned though at what sounded like snickering.

"Uh, demon?"

"Hmmm?"

"…Where are you?"

"The guildhall, of course."

"What?" He about fell out of bed. "You said that you were alone!"

"I am alone, dragon." Mirajane, on her end of things, glanced around. "Alone behind the bar."

"Mirajane-"

"Hi, Daddy." Marin, who was on the other side of the bar, leaned over it to wave at the lacrima from where it was sitting. "Do you miss me too?"

"And oy, boss! Don't kill me," Bickslow pleaded from his own table. "I's just jokin'!"

Through clinched teeth, Laxus asked, "Mira?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can everyone hear us?"

"I think so, Lax, yeah."

Oh geez.

"Daddy." Marin wasn't content. "Are you listening?"

"Yes, Mar, I miss you too," he said. "But right now, I-"

"Hi, Master." Kai, who was sitting with Marin, waved at the lacrima. "I'm here too."

"That's great, kids, but-"

"We got into a fight," Marin told him. "But we made up."

"I'm glad for that, but-"

"And Marin beat up Haven!" Kai added.

"No," Laxus heard the child in question growl from somewhere else. "She didn't!"

"Mirajane,' the man said harshly finally. "I have to go."

"No, Lax, wait." She was still smiling down at the lacrima. "I miss you."

"Mirajane-"

"Just tell her that you love her, Laxus," he heard Freed call from somewhere. "So you can end this. And quickly. I feel the mortification for you."

Through gritted teeth, he said, "I love you, Mira."

"Now you can g-"

"Daddy!"

"And you too, Marin."

"Master."

"Kai, shut up," he growled. "And goodbye, Mira. And you're head is mine when I get back, Bickslow."

"It was a joke, boss!"

"Bye, dragon!"

Then the lacrima went dead.

Laxus just laid back in bed. His stupid demon. Then, beside himself, he grinned a little. His stupid, silly demon.

 


End file.
